Video: The Creation of the Jaguar C-X75

The Jaguar C-X75 concept was a product of design heritage and a celebration of technology.

Jaguar recently produced this video showing the creation process of their C-X75 concept.And it is quite possible the best four minutes of our day so far as we can see in greater detail the time and effort put in.Drawing inspiration from their one-off XJ13 that was originally built for Le Mans duty (but wasn't eligible in the end due to new regulations), chief designer Ian Callum and his team have crafted a drop-dead gorgeous machine.

First revealed a year ago at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, the C-X75 is powered by four 194hp electric motors, one for each wheel, which produces a total of 780hp and 1,180 lb-ft of torque.

What powers these motors are two diesel-powered micro gas turbines in place of a conventional gasoline-powered engine. Jaguar has stated that C-X75 will make production, but its engine technology will not be in the final version because of ongoing development.

Source: Car Buzz

Jaguar Land Rover aims to double sales this year in India

Jaguar Land Rover, the U.K.-based unit of Tata Motors Ltd. (TTM), aims to more than double its vehicle sales in India this financial year as a growing number of wealthy individuals lifts demand for luxury cars and sport-utility vehicles.



Jaguar Land Rover plans to sell about 1,800 vehicles in the year through March, up from the 891 it sold last year, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Dow Jones Newswires recently.

"From April to August, the company has sold more than 650 vehicles. At this rate, the target of about 1,800 for this fiscal year should be easy to achieve," said the person, who asked not to be named.

An increase in the number of millionaires and billionaires in India is driving luxury car sales, encouraging companies such as Jaguar Land Rover, BMW AG, Daimler AG, Porsche AG and Audi AG to introduce more models.

India's population of high-networth individuals grew 21% in 2010 to 153,000, according to the annual World Wealth Report issued by Merrill Lynch Global Wealth Management and Capgemini. The high-networth individuals were classified as those with investable assets of at least $1 million, excluding primary residence, collectibles, consumables and consumer durables.

Jaguar Land Rover, which was acquired by Tata Motors from Ford Motor Co. for $2.3 billion in 2008, now sells the XJ, XF and XK sedans from Jaguar in India. It also sells the Freelander, Discovery and Range Rover SUVs from the Land Rover brand.

Jaguar Land Rover in May opened its first assembly plant in India in the western city of Pune. The plant will initially assemble Land Rover's Freelander 2 SUV from completely-knocked down kits imported from its Halewood manufacturing plant in Liverpool, U.K.

Tata Motors has previously said it eventually plans to assemble other Land Rover vehicles in Pune, but the person said such a move is unlikely this financial year.



After the acquisition of Jaguar Land Rover in 2008, sales of luxury vehicles slumped due to the global credit crunch. Sales have recovered since, turning Jaguar Land Rover into the biggest revenue and profit generator for Tata Motors.

Jaguar Land Rover sold 102,451 vehicles globally during the April-August period, up 10% from a year earlier. Sales in the past fiscal year rose 26% to 243,621 vehicles.

Range Rover Review: AutoExpress

The world's best off-roader boasts a limousine-like driving experience, lots of space and imposing looks

Rating:

For : Beautiful cabin, superb refinement, amazing off-road ability
Against : Enormously high running costs, huge size, depreciation is harsh

The Land Rover Range Rover is the ultimate SUV. It combines Bentley levels of interior opulence with a luxury limo-style driving experience, yet offers incredible off-road ability. Latest versions get an uprated diesel engine which is quick and smooth. Running costs are still very high whatever the engine, but all models have a fantastic image and are extremely desirable.

Our pick: 4.4TDV8 Vogue SE

Styling

There is no more imposing vehicle on the road than the Range Rover. Its traditional boxy shape has been evolved over the years, and the latest model is the best-looking yet with huge, jewel-like front lights, a floating roofline and trademark features such as the split tailgate at the rear. The best thing about the interior of a Range Rover is the driver's seat, which is raised to give you a magisterial view of your fellow road users. Cabin quality is absolutely superb with big chunks of wood and metal plus soft leathers - Bentley craftsmen would be proud. There is loads of space up front and neat features like the digital dashboard – which switches to put the rev counter in the middle of the display in Sport mode – and a dual-screen on the centre console that allows the driver to look at satnav instructions while the passenger watches a film. All the buttons and stalks feel weighty and of high quality. As for equipment, 'standard' Vogue models get cruise control, a CD changer and Bluetooth. Autobiography specification comes with everything you can wish for, although there are plenty of options including a 19-speaker Harman Kardon stereo and a rear seat DVD entertainment system.

Driving and Performance

The only sensible choice when it comes to Range Rover engines is the latest 309bhp 4.4-litre V8 diesel. It has a super smooth eight-speed automatic gearbox, does 0-60mph in 7.5 seconds – not bad for a car that weighs close to three tonnes – and has even more torque than the 503bhp 5.0-litre supercharged V8 model, so it's even quicker in the gears. If you have an oil well at your disposal the V8 might be worth a look - it makes a lovely noise - but really the diesel is so quiet and rapid, you'd be a fool to ignore it. Given that the Range Rover is one of the world's best off-roaders, it is astonishingly good on the road too. Adaptive air suspension keeps body roll in check and there's quite a lot of grip too. It's not sporty like a Porsche Cayenne, as the steering is light and a little vague, but the Range Rover is brilliant at soaking up bumps and dispensing with long distances with ease. Motorway road noise doesn't really enter the cabin and the only cause for complaint is the wind noise created by the bluff shape at high speed.



MPG and running costs

Unfortunately, you can't run a Range Rover on a budget. Far from it. Even the diesel emits 253g/km of CO2, so it sits in VED Band L and is hit with a £790 bill for the first year's road tax. The V8 petrol emits 348g/km, so you'll pay £1,000 in the first year. The latter has an eye-watering thirst for fuel with buyers unlikely to get much more than 19mpg in regular driving. The diesel is much better and actually returns 30mpg combined. On top of this, servicing bills and day-to-day maintenance will be very expensive – those big tyres don't come cheap – and despite the desirability of a Range Rover, residual values are not very strong.

Practicality

It measures nearly five metres long – almost the same as a Mercedes S Class – but the Range Rover doesn't quite have as much room in the back as a regular limo. That said, there is still ample room for three tall passengers - although the next-generation model, due in 2012, will be even larger in this respect following mild criticism from current owners. Open the split tailgate and you will be greeted by a huge load area – 994 litres with the rear seats in place (about twice that of a Ford Mondeo) which extends to a van-like 2,099 litres with the rear bench folded down.
Along with four-wheel drive, the Range Rover also gets Terrain Response – a clever system that juggles the traction and stability controls, plus the brakes and the gearbox and suspension, to offer a variety of different modes for tackling streams, rocky paths or steep descents. The Range Rover has the kind of true, go-anywhere ability a Mercedes GL or Porsche Cayenne Turbo can only dream of.

Safety and reliability

With all that metal around you, the Range Rover feels like a very safe place to be and it has lots of equipment to back that up, including seven airbags, electronic brakeforce distribution and stability control. Laminated side glass also features. As for reliability, the Range Rover didn't have a great reputation in the past, but Land Rover has worked hard to fix faults and improve longevity, and despite the complexity of the Range Rover, it's at least as good as a Porsche Cayenne or Mercedes GL.

Source: Auto Express

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Jaguar Land Rover to open dealership in Pune, India

Jaguar Land Rover

Premium car brand, Jaguar Land Rover, or JLR, will open its Pune dealership by early December. The Ace Cars showroom, located close to the another luxury car brand dealership, BMW, as well as to other car showrooms in central Pune, will have the space to display around 12 cars of both brands, Jaguar and Land Rover.

Parvinder Singh Vijan, managing director of the Mumbai-based Asset Group which has other car dealerships in the Mumbai-Pune region and who has bagged this dealership, declined comment since he not authorised to speak about the JLR brands.

Local buyers of these premium brands said that the base level price of a Jaguar, of around Rs. 55-56 lakh, brings it within reach of a larger market and is an alternative to the Mercedes E Class or the BMW 5 Series sedan.

"There are currently about 30 Jags and around 40 Land and Range Rovers in Pune. I think with a dealership opening in the city, this number could easily double in a year's time," Aditya Deshpande, a 25-year old real estate developer, said.

The rest of Maharashtra region which the Pune dealership is expected to target is an attractive market for high end cars. Apart from industry and agriculture, politicians are seen as potential buyers specially of SUVs.
Source: Economic Times

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Jaguar XJ L Review: AutoExpress

British luxury flagship gets a refresh for 2012 – but is it still better to drive than be driven in? 

 Rating:

It's one of the most stylish luxury cars on sale right now – and one that owners would sooner drive themselves, rather than let the chauffeur take charge. But where the Jaguar XJ is concerned, is it better to be in the front or back?

To find out, we tested the 2012 model year XJ L – a subtly updated long-wheelbase version, which gets an enhanced interior and some more luxurious options aimed at improving comfort.

Costing £3,005 more than the standard saloon, the XJ L adds an extra 125mm to the wheelbase for even more rear legroom, so you can really stretch out. The extra length fortunately doesn’t detract from the XJ’s stylish design, and neither does it affect the driving experience, as our extended test drive from London to the Orkney Islands revealed.

As you’d imagine with a car of this type, the XJ L made light work of the motorway sections of our 1,340-mile round trip. Even at speed, hardly any road, engine or wind noise enters the cabin, allowing you to really appreciate the clarity of the superb 1200w Bowers & Wilkins stereo, which is standard on the Portfolio model driven here. It also has ventilated massage front seats, which really take the sting out of long driving stints.

Where the XJ L excels, though, is on a twisty A-road. Thanks to wonderfully precise steering, strong grip and agility that belies its size, this is one luxury limo than can also do a good impression of a sports car.

This sensation is enhanced by the wraparound cockpit, the ability to take control of the slick automatic gearbox with steering-wheel mounted paddles and the way the all-digital instrument dials turn red when you put the car into Dynamic mode.

The XJ L is available with a range of powerful engines, including a supercharged V8 with more than 500bhp. However, it’s the 3.0-litre diesel that makes the most sense.

With sufficient grunt for effortless overtaking – something that proved vital on the busy single-carriageway roads of the Scottish Highlands – and a claimed fuel consumption figure of 40.1mpg, it offers a perfect blend of performance and economy.

But while the XJ L feels brilliant from the driver’s seat, it’s not quite a class leader when it comes to the all-important rear seats. Of course, there is acres of legroom and the seats are extremely comfortable – even more so thanks to the addition of a new option package that includes electric recline, lumbar adjustment and the massage functions. However, the sloping roof limits headroom a little and the sporty suspension means the XJ L feels a bit fidgety on rougher surfaces compared to the totally unflappable Mercedes S-Class. And while the modern interior is beautifully made, it still doesn’t feel quite as special or as expensive as an Audi A8’s.

However, if you’re going to be spending most of your time in the front seat, none of this really matters. The XJ L is the limousine for those who prefer to have a steering wheel, rather than a newspaper, in their hands.

Source: Auto Express UK

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